War of Independence
The War of Independence was an 18-month long conflict that took place in Brunant between 1427 and 1428. It resulted in the Declaration of Independence and the independence of Brunant. Background Historical The majority of the territory comprising modern-day Brunant was officially under the control of the Venetian Republic in the early 15th century. In actuality they only held control of northern Central Island. In the 1410s many Dutch and Germans began to arrive in the islands. They brought a more liberal northern way of thought and did not like being under the control of Venetians; they especially resented the imposition of Brunanter norms and customs. They founded settlements like Brunantstad and Grijzestad, which were largely isolated from Venetian influence and control, but the authorities took many attempts in bringing these towns under their control. Many of these Dutchmen were under the employment of the Venetian authorities (such as Laurens van der Holdt), but by the late 1410s were growing discontent with their rulers and became influential in spreading thoughts of independence among the Barzuna and Spaniards. Revolts One of the earliest armed revolts against the Venetians began around 1414-15. Mateus Brasefort, a Barzuna soldier, took up the fight against the Venetians when they attempted to destroy the mosque at Niesburg; for the next 10 years he would fight the Venetians to defend his town and his liberty. Brasefort was largely successful at keeping the Venetians at bay from Niesburg. But, many of his supporters were arrested, tortured and killed. The Dutch were initially unwilling to take up arms, due to low numbers and fear of reprisals (as had been done to many of Brasefort's men). By the early 1420s there were many more Dutch, and some had the means and money to finance an armed force. In 1423 the city of Grijzestad openly detained Venetians and soon there were many bands of soldiers using guerrilla tactics to disrupt Venetian control over the cities and countryside. Events Massacre of Zatram The War of Independence was triggered in Zatram. On May 16, 1427, the Venetians attempted to remove the Muslims of the town. The citizens resisted and took up arms, killing the messengers and the guards. The Venetians responded by sending 300 soldiers to rectify the situation. They burnt the town and killed every man in sight, as well as scores of unarmed women and children. News traveled fast and this infuriated the Dutch and the Barzuna. Very soon, they openly declared war on the Venetians with a document posted on the door of Brezonde Castle informing them. Convention of Grijzestad Between May 19 and June 9, prominent Dutch and Barzuna men met at Grijzestad (at the Grijzestad Market Hall) to declare the independence of Brunant. Over three weeks, the men came from all over the island to Grijzestad, where the convention was to meet. The convention was unanimous in its call for independence and by the 24th a draft declaration had been approved and was being signed as delegates arrived. The formation of the government was an issue dividing the convention; most agreed on keeping the convention as a lawmaking body, but some supported having a king, and others called for a republican government. Votes were collected over time and on June 7 or 8 the final vote was tallied at 28 in favor of a republic and 11 in favor of a monarchy. The following day, Marten Sneijder was unanimously elected president. A messenger was sent to gather the townspeople and at St. Jan's Place he proclaimed the independence of Brunant. Siege of Niesburg Niesburg was one of the first towns to revolt against Venetian rule. By the 20th of June their citizens were armed and organized by Brasefort and defenses were erected. On July 4, 1427 Venetian soldiers lay siege to the castle and it would last nearly two months. Using various siege weapons they smashed the castle to rubble and killed over 300 defenders. They laid fire to much of the city, completely destroying the mosque and burning down the local church. After the defeat Brasefort came into contact with the Dutch and formed an alliance with them. Battle of Donderstad After Niesburg, another Venetian force was sent to subdue Donderstad on July 17. Hieronymus van der Ecke organized a force to counter the Venetians. Around 750 Venetians met 540 Brunanters at a nearby field. Being overwhelmed, the Brunanters made a strategic retreat, which allowed Philippe de Bryas' few mounted cavalry to move in an decimate the exposed Venetians. Battle of San Marcos In present-day Carrington, or (San Marcos/Sint-Markstad) the local Barzuna (Spanish) were more sympathetic for the rebels. In early August they refused lodgings to Venetian soldiers and this was perceived as a sign of them supporting the Brunanters. A few days later the Venetians returned in larger numbers and they burnt down much the settlement; the few armed townsmen were no match for the professional soldiers. First Battle of Carona The First Battle of Carona was fought on the 24 and 25th of August by present-day Sint-Anders. The Venetians were able to land troops near the town and in two days had defeated the Brunanters. They had support by many Venetians living in the area and were thus able to deny supplies to the Brunanters. At this point they were very close to Grijzestad and, if taken, they could end the war almost instantly. Turn of Events The outbreak of the Wars in Lombardy was a major factor in the reduction of Venetian troops in Brunant as 1427 progressed. Many were sent back to Venice as they were required to fight against Milan. The republicans were able to hire some 1000 Swiss mercenaries who would prove vital in the war and also, Brasefort's efforts led to many Venetian troops tied up in the Niesburg-St. Markstad region. Battle of Brunant Between September 5 and 10, the Venetians learned that Brunanter leader Marten Sneijder was headed to Brunantstad to bring reinforcements back to Central Island. In order to stop this, they decided to besiege the town and intercept his forces so he could not link up with the defenders. Brunant was besieged starting on September 18, but Sneijder arrived much sooner than expected and on the nineteenth was in view of the town. The Venetian commander made the mistake of directly engaging Sneijder. The defenders moved up as well and soon the Venetians were encircled and many surrendered before they could be killed. While this was considered a great tactical victory, it would also prove to be beneficial as two cannons were captured as well. Second Battle of Carona Shortly after the victory in Brunant (on September 23) Brunanter and Swiss troops launched a sudden attack on the Venetians at Carona. This sudden move overwhelmed the defenders and in one hour 550 soldiers were rounded up and 700 more had been killed. Final stages The final stage of the war began in November 1427. Around the 10th, the Brunanter army (numbering 11,000 soldiers) under Adolphus Koopman went to Niesburg to link up with Brasefort's 2,600 soldiers. The combined forces went north and by mid-November were at Brezonde. Not having many good siege weapons, they were unable to attack the castle but instead attempted to subdue it by attrition; by denying them access to supplies they could starve the defenders and force them to surrender. The Venetians did dig tunnels to try and escape but they were often caught in the process. On one occasion a small band of Venetians did manage to escape at night, but the following day 600 Brunanters used the tunnel to enter the castle. After heavy fighting the gates were opened and the castle was entered. This "siege of attrition" lasted three months, well into February. While the bulk of the Brunanter army was at Brezonde, a force of 700 under Brasefort was sent to Cape Cross in order to liberate the town, which the Venetians were occupying. Over three days at a nearby field the armies fought but ultimately Mateus Brasefort and his men ended victorious. Aftermath The war officially ended in mid-February 1428. Following the war, many Venetians were kicked out of Brunant. 32 Venetian military commanders were killed, mostly for their actions at Zatram, Niesburg and Sint-Markstad. A further 12 Brunanters/Barzuna were executed for allegedly being spies. Category:Wars Category:War of Independence